The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THE Star Sailors League is back and they are off and sailing in Montagu Bay.

The league’s grand finale has returned for another year with 25 teams and 50 sailors with the winner vying for a cash prize of $40,000 out of a jackpot of $200,000.

As usual, the line-up of competitors includes a host of Olympic gold medallists as well as champions from the Hempel Sailing World Championships.

What makes it so compelling for the SSL to come here since December 2013 has been the “incredible conditions in the month of December,” according to Rachele Vitello, the SSL media and communication manager.

“We have missed just a couple of days of racing in six years, normally you miss one or two race days per event,” she stated. “So I think this was the biggest benefit for the SSL, that we can sail everyday and have TV coverage for sure.”

One of the good things about the competition is that once their champion has been decided on Saturday, the competitors get a chance to mix and mingle with the local sloop sailing boats.

This weekend in Montagu as well, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources will stage their annual Best of the Best Regatta where only the best boats get to compete.

And on Sunday, SSL sailors get a chance to sail on the local sloop sailing boats in what becomes a treat for the television crew that is carrying the event live around the world.

The Bahamas, once again, is getting some added promotions that the Ministry of Tourism would have had to spend thousands of dollars to promote.

It comes a week after ESPN was in town to cover the Hero World Challenge Professional Golf Association’s tour event that was staged by Tiger Woods at the Albany Golf Club.

The two back-to-back events will head into the final major event for the year when the 2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl football championship game takes place between FIU and Toledo on Friday, December 21 at 12:30pm.

Veteran ESPN SportsCentre anchor and college football commentator Steve Levy, 1991 Heisman Trophy winner and Super Bowl XXXI MVP Desmond Howard and sideline reporter Laura Rutledge will be in town to call the game.

It’s an impressive line-up and one that should only add more credence to our boasting that it is indeed “Better in the Bahamas.”

This has certainly been a banner year for international sports in the Bahamas and we only hope that these events will continue to be staged here.

It’s disappointing that the LPGA has decided to cancel the Pure Silk Ladies Golf Tournament that normally brings some of the best female players to Atlantis to compete for a week in January.

And the fact that the IAAF has been forced to move the fourth World Relays to Japan in April because of the lack of financial support from the government.

But we need to ensure that those events that are here remain on our calendar in 2019 and beyond and others like those in basketball and soccer continue as well.

A lot of people complain that they don’t see or feel the economic effect of having some of these sporting events in the country. But there are a lot of people who do feel it.

And from our standpoint as a tourist destination, you can not just only continue to rely on the old cliche of “sand, sun and sea” to attract persons to our shores, but the many things that they can do once they get here.

Shaunae Miller-Uibo So Close

I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate Shaunae Miller-Uibo in what has turned out to be a fantastic season in track and field.

It culminated on Tuesday night in Monaco where she was vying for the IAAF Female Athlete of the Year after producing a perfect 15-0 season in international events she competed in as she contested both the 200 and 400m.

She was in the running with four other female athletes for the top spot, but was beaten out by Caterine Ibarguen, the 34-year-old Colombian, who dominated both the long and triple jumps.

It should be noted that the award was based on a voting procedure in which persons had to cast their ballots for their favourite athlete.

No doubt, coming from a much smaller country, Miller-Uibo would have been outnumbered in terms of the votes casted.

Even if every Bahamian voted twice, it still probably would not have been sufficient.

Ibarguen is considered a “rock star” in Colombia where she has been chosen as the best sportswoman in all sports, not just athletics.

So quite naturally, she will garner the support of more people voting for her.

Despite the loss, it has been an eventful year for Miller-Uibo, who was selected as the Bahamas National and NACAC Female Athlete of the Year.

Congrats Miller-Uibo, who also celebrated with her parents Shaun and May Miller on their 27th wedding anniversary and May’s 50th birthday this past weekend as well.

Thanks for the journey through 2018 and we look forward to 2019.

God bless you all.